Speaking

Speaking

Dr. Thompson has been consistently recognized for his values based approach to leadership. In his speaking and work with leadership teams, he draws on his own extensive leadership experience and years as an intensive care pediatrician to show how leading from one’s values has the power to build a new culture, compete successfully, and drive positive change. He also addresses a variety of topics in health care, sustainability, and leading innovation. He is known for his unique combination of enthusiasm, pragmatism, and ability to inspire.

January 2017

Beijing, China

Jeff’s most requested Speaking TOPICS

Business today is up against a myriad of complexities. The pressure to do more with less, and faster, is never ending. In this context, leaders are frequently required to make pivotal decisions for the organization that define them as leaders. Faced with these challenges, each of us must decide if we will follow short-term pressures for gain or lead for the long-term good of everyone whose lives we touch.
In this keynote, Dr. Thompson shows leaders that values based leadership is not just a noble idea, but a strategy for lasting success and offers a 3-part framework from which to approach decision making. His framework gives the leaders the courage, inspiration, and inner confidence to lead -not driven by short-term pressure or gain- but for the long-term good of their people, organization, and community.

Living Your Mission: At the Intersection of Business Success and Environmental Stewardship

Business today has the opportunity and responsibility to lead the charge to show we can protect our environment and save money and improve the economy all at the same time. While CEO at Gundersen, Dr Thompson’s team decreased disease-causing pollution by over 95%, dropped green house gas emissions over 96% and saved the health system and the region millions of dollars.
In this keynote, he offers leaders a roadmap to take responsibility for their impact on the environment and discusses strategies in conservation, process improvement, and broad partnerships. He shows leaders through his own and others experiences that if you set extraordinary goals, you can achieve extraordinary outcomes: make the air better for people to breathe, control rising energy costs, and help the local economy all at the same time.

Closing the Gap Between Bright Ideas and Big Impact: How to Lead for Sustained Innovation

Innovation is not just for start-ups and Silicon Valley icons. It is an imperative for lasting success for all businesses. Done poorly, the rate of failure and the costs are high.
Dr. Thompson uses stories and concrete data to explain to leaders his principles for leading innovation: be close enough to the work to feel the moral imperative, provide the structure that supports it, and maintain a disciplined disregard for conventional wisdom. By adapting and expanding on these principles, you create a culture for staff so they feel not only supported in their efforts to innovate, but a responsibility to do so, and the likelihood of sustainably successful outcomes increases rapidly.

Moving Beyond Health Care into Health

We know if we are to successfully fulfill our mission to improve the health of our communities, we must work outside of our hospital and clinic walls. We now spend nearly double that of other industrialized countries on healthcare, yet are failing to make dramatic improvements in the overall health of Americans. Dr. Thompson talks to audiences about emerging and successful strategies as well as the critical roles of partnerships in our communities’ and how to successfully build them in order to improve health.
He discusses the importance of a diversity of approach, shared values and goals, the recognition that learning goes both ways, and the commitment and discipline to follow through. This problem is bigger than any one organization or program, but through many examples he shows leaders that great organizations live their values despite inconvenience or cost—and that together, we find a way.

Work With Jeff

Coaching & Advising

Dr. Thompson guides CEOs, leaders, and their senior teams in full-day, multi-day, or longer engagements to help plan and execute the changes needed to lead in alignment with your values and achieve extraordinary outcomes.

“It is not about technique, manipulation, or cutthroat management; it is about combining competence in leadership with principled leadership that recognizes that helping others be successful is the responsibility of a true leader.”

— Sister Carol Keeham

DC, President/CEO, Catholic Health Association

“Jeff Thompson has captured the essence of what excellence in leadership looks like.”